Historically Ruch Chorzów is one of the most successful teams in Poland. After a downfall all the way from the first to the fourth level, last season Ruch Chorzów managed to get itself in the promotion final to the second division. Supported by an incredible sold-out stadium the Blues won comfortably with 4-0 against Motor Lublin. The team has now promoted twice in a row and will this season try to fight it's way back to the Ekstraklasa. This match report covers the amazing atmosphere the fans of Ruch created.
In the past Ruch Chorzów has won fourteen Ekstraklasa titles, which is the same amount that rival Gornik Zabrze achieved in it's existence. The only team that has won more titles is Legia Warszawa (15). The trophy cabinet of Ruch shows how big of a club it is. A few years ago the team played its games all the way down in the fourth level of Poland, which is regional. The downfall had to do with financial issues. The Blues got relegated season on season, dealing with debts and point deductions. Since last year the club was able to find its way up again and climbed to the 3rd division. After a decent third place in the league, it was Motor Lublin waiting in the final.
From Wroclaw to Chorzów, along Gliwice and Katowice, I got to the stadium of HKS (Hajducki Klub Sportowy). Coming into the stadium was not easy. The security wanted to check everything I had with me twice. It really seemed the case that they thought I would smuggle things inside. To see later how much pyro people still were able to get in the stadium was remarkable. When finally entering, well before time, the stadium was already packed and everyone in the stadium was standing the whole game. There were not one or two, but three sections initiating chants and producing tifo. These three sections interacted with each other on a whole other level. It was impressive to witness.
The amount of noise being made was astonishing when realizing less then 10.000 people fit into the stadium. It became strange to realize this game is played between two teams of the 3rd level. When the scarfs were going in the air it seemed that I was the only one without one. And of course, there was a good amount of pyro and some banners. The mood in the stadium was incredible. The score also helped with this, as Ruch won rather easy with 4-0 to Motor Lublin. A hattrick of Szczepan sealed the convincing promotion.
The old-fashioned Stadion Ruchu Chorzów might be called my favourite stadium so far after groundhopping in Poland for a year. One time it was possible to welcome 40.000 people here, but since the damage of the 2nd World War and other accidents the capacity has been lowered drastically. Stadiums that are build this way I prefer the most, one stand is raised above the others. Ruch Chorzów's stadium can be compared to the old demolished Boszik Stadion of Honvéd Budapest. These two stadiums have the same style but become unfortunately more and more rare with the modernization of stadiums happening all over Poland and Europe.
About ten minutes before the end of the game people were getting ready to go on the pitch. However when it was time, they did not do this but waited for the trophy to arrive. The celebrations were deserved and the fans all seemed grateful. Ruch Chorzów is back in the second tier of Polish football and is likely to be soon back where it belongs, in the Ekstraklasa. A great experience in Southern-Poland to conclude my 2021/2022 Groundhoppers season.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Match Report
Match: Ruch Chorzów - Motor Lublin
Competition: II Liga, Play-off promotion final for 2nd League
Date: 29-05-2022
Time: 17:00
Weather: 16 degrees
Transport: Train
Country: Poland
Place: Chorzów
Stadium: Stadion Ruchu Chorzów
Supporters: 9.300 Capacity: 9.300
Atmosphere: 9.5
Price: 3.33eu
Ticket type: E-Ticket
Beer: 2.18eu (0.5L)
Result: 4-0
Man of the match: Szczepan
Match events: ‘7: 1-0, Mokrzycki (P) ‘26: 2-0, Szczepan ‘68: 3-0, Szczepan ‘84: 4-0, Szczepan
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